It was with the third failed extra point attempt of the day that I realized the game had lost its damned mind.

I mean, how many Georgia games have you seen with three blown extra points? Later, I started worrying that Tennessee would tie things up and send the game into an overtime that would never end. It was that screwy. Momentum changes that were both so frequent and sudden they caused whiplash, hair pulling mistakes and killer play making – basically, you couldn’t afford to look away or you’d miss something big. And the way it turned out, every bit mattered.

In thirty-plus years, I’m not sure I’ve ever seen a crazier game between the hedges. But in the end the Dawgs did walk away with the win. It could have been worse.

And now, on to the post-mortem.

Bobo saw what a lot of people saw Florida do successfully – attack the perimeter of the Tennessee defense – and went after that with a vengeance. That first drive was masterful in making UT have to worry about defending the width of the field.

I really wish Burnette hadn’t been flagged for a false start on Georgia’s next series, because I really wanted to see where that play, with a fly sweep run one way and Gurley going the other, was heading.

The pure joy that Marc Deas, who quit the team earlier this year and then came back, showed after his punt block was great to see.

Seventy or so passing plays and not a single penalty for offensive holding? How is that possible?

The increase in athleticism on Georgia’s defense with the return of Ogletree and Rambo was noticeable (that first interception, for example). But so was the rust and uncertainty that comes with adjusting to the repositioning. Way, way too many busted assignments. And on Tennessee’s last touchdown of the day, Rambo was still facing the sideline looking for instruction when the ball was snapped.

Yeah, take out the special team snafus and turnovers that turned the last five minutes of the first half into a nightmare and the defense doesn’t look so bad. But that’s no excuse for the shoddy tackling I saw throughout the game. And it doesn’t explain Tennessee’s success on third downs.

I’m going to go out on a limb here and predict that Malcolm Mitchell’s career as a punt returner is at an end.

I’m willing to cut Aaron Murray a little slack on his two turnovers. The pick-six came on a tipped pass and the fumble came on a well-timed delayed blitz when the offense was in Predictable Bobo mode. But the main reason I’m generous is that he played so well the rest of the time. Outside of looking out of sync on a couple of throws intended for Bennett on one of those fourth-quarter series that went nowhere, he was totally in control of his game.

Great play from the tight ends, both blocking and catching.

I think people are more impressed with Tyler Bray’s arm than with Tyler Bray, the quarterback. He loves the deep ball and you can count on him throwing a few balls every game that make you go wow, but he deserves his reputation for not handling pressure well. Three straight series with Bray turnovers to end the game testifies to that.

Sanders Commings, of all people, with two interceptions. And both were tough catches. If he can hang on to the ball like that, I like the secondary’s chances to do a lot more ball hawking this year.

That being said, the most misleading stat of the night had to be Georgia finishing +1 in turnover margin. All three of Georgia’s turnovers led to Vol touchdowns. Only one of the Dawg recoveries led to a score.

I’m running out of superlatives for Gurshall. But I get a kick out of Marshall’s one-armed windmilling while he gets his balance. And when it stops, look out.

The o-line performed pretty well. They dominated early, but got a little overwhelmed late when UT started sending the house. And I didn’t notice any painful moments from Theus.

I think Grantham was a little surprised by how well Tennessee’s offensive line played. He almost waited a little too late to start applying extra pressure.

And I also think that Tennessee’s pace on offense proved difficult for Georgia to handle. That combined with some of the defensive rust that came from the rejiggering the defensive personnel left the Dawg defense on its heels in the second half too much for comfort.

I didn’t like Bobo pulling in the reins when the field position went against Georgia. He made it too easy for Sunseri to gamble by loading up the box. But he deserves a lot of credit for pushing the drive that led to the tying field goal at the end of the first half. That turned out to be a huge score.

Speaking of which, how do you screw up two extra points (sure, one was blocked, but the trajectory on it looked low) and nail a clutch fifty-yard field goal?

After the first drive, did Georgia’s offense ever hold the ball for three minutes or more on any series the rest of the way?

I said after the Buffalo game that the Dawgs bringing their “C” game could beat a MAC team by three TDs. It looks like their “C” game was good enough to win a nail biter at home against a mediocre SEC opponent. It’s obviously not going to get the job done against a top ten SEC team on the road.

When it’s not screwing up or pulling in the reins because of field position concerns, the offense looks pretty unstoppable. But special teams are shaky, to say the least. And while I think the defense will sort things out as things settle in, you wonder if that will happen quickly enough. South Carolina’s offense presents very different problems from Tennessee’s and another week of getting up to speed could prove fatal.

On the other hand, it’s not like the ‘Cocks have faced a team with as many threats on offense as Georgia has, so they’ve got their own concerns.

I dunno, I’m starting to think that Columbia may come down to how many times Georgia’s offense has to start inside its own ten.

139 responses to “Observations from the 45: a wild time was had by all.”

I watched the USCe Kentucky game and now my big concern returns to the O line. I watched Clowney and friends pummel the Kentucky o line in the second half. I don’t think Theus and Gates have faced ends that good yet and I am truly worried. UGA will have to get something good out of Gurshall or be in trouble. Murray won’t have much time to stand and decide. D will have to play better too, as I don’t see us getting 40+ on the SC defense. Special teams? Arrrgh is all I can say.

I had to work yesterday and didn’t get to watch any games (tivo’d our game) but are we talking about the same USC team that trailed Kentucky in the 3rd quarter and pulled away at the end? Sorry, I know they are good but I just don’t buy what they are selling yet. I guess it’s just our job as UGA fans to expect the worst.

I conjure the image of Theus going against Clowney (or even Taylor, for what it’s worth) and it just plain hurts my gray matter. This next game calls out for something that has yet to be unveiled by the offense: the screen game! Think of Marshall out there in the flats with some effective WR blocking. Then, as that starts to gain traction, jam Gurley up the gut on some draw action. Well, whatever the braintrust works up for the Dawg offense playing a super-hyped style devoid of ball security will likely spell doom in Columbia(e).

The most troubling sight was the three successive runs on UGA’s own goal line. I know that Marshall and Gurley can each break loose as they showed last night, but playing conservatively at that point flipped the momentum to the Vols and led to being tied at the half. Even throwing a pick 6 in that situation may not have been worse than what happened. I wouldn’t say that Morgan has the yips yet but he needs to be practicing PAT over and over as it looks like he has distance down. He did looked as surprised as anyone else when he hit the 50 yarder though.

This, plus pretty much everything the Senator wrote above. I wonder if the back up place kicker ought to be doing the extra points and letting Morgan handle the FG’s? Surely our back up kicker can knock down PATs with regularity, right?

I was disappointed in our defense yesterday. It seemed like several times in the second half the players were lining up late and looking to the sidelines when Tennessee snapped the ball. Got to get better to beat Carolina.

One thing that was really obvious was just how slow the Tennessee secondary is. On both Marshall touchdowns and Gurley’s long touchdown, the safeties had angles but Gurshall blew past them every time. Probably the biggest indictment, though, was on the 2nd Bennett touchdown where he took a slant 30 yards untouched. Bennett’s not slow but he ain’t Malcolm Mitchell (aka is white).

Fans around me were getting down on Bobo a bit. I didn’t see it. I’m not sure what the right plays to call are when you’re starting inside the ten. He’s an idiot either way, right? If we go five wide and give up another fumble sack for six points that’s just stupid. If we run up the middle and try to get a little room. That’s predictable. Folks – please dazzle me with some playcalls you’d like to see us run from the endzone. Hey- what about that 44 flatback rooskie?

Some dude in the stands near me was whining about how predictable we were when we handed off to Marshall on his last long TD.

I sometimes wonder if Bobo gets restricted parameters from Richt near the end of the game. I will agree that it’s hard to watch us sputter in the end of games, but running the ball and grinding the clock late in the game is my preference over spreading the field in the 4th quarter.

But spreading the field and mixing passes and runs at several points of attack is how we scored 51 points on last night. The drives where we stalled were when we were paralyzed by fear and ran Marshall into the pack. Yes, Marshall can run through the pack, but only if there is a threat of a pass or a sweep or whatever to keep the other side’s D honest.

I see no reason to stop doing what is working (in this case, using all our weapons on offense, a great mix of passes and runs) because of the clock, unless you truly have the game completely put away – I mean like three scores with five minutes left.

Not making first downs is what gives the other guys a chance to climb back into the game. It’s what gives them hope, and shifts momentum. Every time we move the chains, we can figure on another two minutes of clock running out. Last night, passing was working because running was working, and running was working because passing was working.

But if we don’t run our best offense, regardless of where we are on the field, then we don’t make first downs. That is just intuitive to me. Run the offense that has the best chance of making first downs, the same offense you’ve been running all night. Keep the ball away from them, and move the chains to run the clock.

Perhaps the biggest advantage is you send the message to your team and the rest of the cfb world that there is no play the GA Bulldogs are afraid to run because of field position. We are bold and confident. This does not mean embrace the strategy of running more often on passing downs and passing more often on running downs, which I believe we have been guilty of going overboard on from time to time, only that we will not stop playing our game because we’re afraid we might screw up.

Nailed it my friend. We have, almost, an unstoppable offense. It will not be shut down by anyone but ourselves. I don’t mean to say we will continue to average almost 50 with the schedule coming up, but we are a DC’s nightmare with all the holes they must plug. Unless we do as you say, and go one dimensional. We don’t have the OL to successfully run the ball into the middle of the line when they know it is coming. And if I did, it would be with Boo.

I understand what all of you are saying. I’ll point out that Tennessee’s longest drive of the first half was 58 yards for a field goal – and somehow they hung 30 on us. The coaches have to look at what we’re doing to beat ourselves and stop the bleeding.

No issue with the call to improve ball security and handling of punts/kickofs that bit us, but allowing TN to extend drives with 3rd down conversions while never penetrating their line is not flukey, it is just getting manhandled. I agree most of that was in the 2nd half but the defense could get more rest by making some plays on 3rd down. Hard to ask the offense to slow down their scoring drives.

I know we came into this year with a lot of confidence in the defense based on last season and the players we had returning but, except for the Vandy game, they have been disappointing. If they can pick their game up, we are going to be a really, really good football team. If the defense is really going to be that porous in pass defense, and get gouged on power runs and QB scrambles, we will not win the East. Some of the criticsm may only be because expectations were so high for them but the truth is, they are performing at a much lower level than the offense. I think they got embarrassed last night and maybe that will be the wake-up call they needed.

per ESPN: “That was about Richt could stomach from Mitchell, as he benched him for junior receiver Rhett McGowan, who will now field punts, according to Richt.

“I need him to make good decisions,” Richt said of McGowan, who has fielded two punts for 41 yards this season. “Come up and make the fair catch. I don’t even care if he gets a lot of yards to return. Let’s make good decisions on when to catch it and secure it.””

I’m a big fan of the windmill. I’ve wondered what the other team thinks as he’s going by them with that move. If there is ever a collision between him and a safety on a run like that, it will end badly for someone.

Anyone else notice that the Jarvis groin issue hasn’t gon away? His pursuit on the busted reverse was scary to watch. Looked like he was in low mo, and he pulled up lame. No question he’s not full strength

Didn’t see that, but Branden Smith loafed on that play. He was jogging toward Patterson because he assumed other players would make the tackle. If you watch the replay, Branden finally accelerates but it was too late. Had he given more effort earlier in the play, he would have been in position to make the tackle. Check the replay and watch #1 Branden Smith and his effort on the play.

It’s team that has already shown patches of greatness and still has lots of room for improvement. At this point, I think Georgia has the highest ceiling of any team in the country. Can the Dwags keep the awesome while weeding out the WTFs?

I am convinced that the refs have been told not to call holding so that there will be a lot of scoring, and therefore, fan interest. I saw Geathers not only get held, but also horse-collared and no flag anywhere. I hate it, because I think it cheapens the game.

I think on the extra points we should either go for two or take a couple of delays to get in our kicker’s range. I think he’ll nail it from the 12 yard line.

Please, no more Malcom on special teams. I don’t want him getting hurt, anyway.

I guess I just didn’t expect SO MUCH “rust and uncertainty” from the defense. I mean, I realize that it’s the first game back for Rambo and Ogletree, but it’s not like they’re a couple of freshmen who just walked out of their dorms for the first time this year and out onto the field against Tennessee. I expected the defense to look a little shaky DURING their suspension, with some first-time starters filling in. But not from a unit that basically played an entire season together last year, and quite successfully at that.

It’s not necessarily only Tree and Rambo with the rust and uncertainty. They had been replaced by people who had to move back to other positions. Grantham’s philosophy is to cross-train them so they supposedly know how the whol defense is supposed to operate…yet, obviously, there can be a domino effect of players shuffling positions and it doesn’t take much hesitation to end up with yesterday as a result.

Overall, I think every championship team in college football has to survive a game like this. UT and Dooley saw this as a HUGE game for the program and I think they gave us their 110% best shot while UGA was really looking at this coming week’s game as being the pivotal one. Bottom line, Georgia avoided a slip up against a team that has ruined some big seasons for us in the past.

Game notes:
> To Senator’s comment on Theus, I believe he totally whiffed on his block on Marshall’s fumble which led to him being hit as he was being handed the ball and essentially led to the fumble.
> Getting our punt returns under control has got to be the highest priority for the team. I think we scored on all but one drive that didn’t start within our own 10. I really don’t understand why Brandon Smith has not been used more as he seemed to do a decent job in the past. Mitchell has made really bad decisions on about 90% of his punt returns.
> I was shocked (as was everybody else) on how effectively UT was able to run up the middle. They really seemed to control our defensive line for most of the game (with the assistance of what looked like a ton of holding on Jarvis in particular).
> I don’t recall when UGA has had as set of CBs with better hands than this bunch. The INT by Swann was pretty ridiculous as was Commings’.

Schmoe, I wasn’t impressed with either of Commings’ INT’s. One came on a terrible pass, and luck played a big part on the second.

As for Tree’s game, the announcers made a big deal about the number of tackles, but most came downfield from his position (after they were past him). I’d like to know how many yards were gained on him.

But, more importantly, the defense failed to meet out expectations due to a lack of a constistant blitz. Grantham only brought pressure from the LB or DB three or four times. All were relatively late, and most were effective.

From the start, I expected the defensive backfield to come with their ears pinned back. Even more so when it became apparent that #29 wasn’t getting in Bray’s face. I think that indirectly, this also contributed to UT’s ability to run straight ahead.

With Jarvis drawing double teams like he did all day Saturday, the table is set for someone else on the other end to get in the backfield and make a sack or two. It sure would be nice for somebody to step up. Tennessee’s offensive line completely controlled the line yesterday. If we get blocked like that all day against S. Carolina, Lattimore will eat us alive.

Jarvis wasn’t double teamed much, if at all in this game.The UT OT’s were oustanding in handling him straight up without any help for most of the game.He may be slowed by the groin injury, but I do agree that we need to have other means of getting after the QB,besides relying on Jarvis Jones’s greatness every big game.

Shaw is quick as a cat and smart. These teams are both running the ball well. It will probably come down to mistakes, as usual.
If Tennessee hadn’t gotten the 21 gift points, (think of it, that was at least a 20 to 30 point swing the way Georgia was moving the ball on the Vols), this game would have been a huge blow out.
Maybe the mistakes will be cut way down for SC.
Don’t forget, they’ve got a hell of a lot of Dawg offense to worry about too. Right now they’re probably saying “If we get blocked like that against Georgia, Gurley and Marshall will eat us alive”>

Well, I agree we gave them 21 points with the turnovers, but they dropped a sure TD pass, plus they turned it over 3 straight times in the fourth quarter. So, while I felt like we mainly had control, it could have easily turned out otherwise. We survived, which is the main thing.

Turnovers and 3-and-outs KILL a defense. I won’t complain about big play touchdowns, those can fire a defense up and put more pressure on the opposing offense. That usually leads to turnovers from the bad guys. We had a lot of chances to put these guys away and didnt do it. Hopefully next week will be a different story.

Morgan must be a golfer because I have seen any kicker hit the “flagstick” as often in one career as he has in 5 games. Someone needs to tell him to aim between the two posts on his short shots. Even when he doesn’t hit them he has been damned close. Isn’t there a foreign exchange student who played soccor that can handle the PATs? And this from a guy who is 3 for 3 from 50+. Damn so many other things to worry about, let’s solve this one. Can’t Kevin Butler be used as a consultant?

“I didn’t like Bobo pulling in the reins when the field position went against Georgia. He made it too easy for Sunseri to gamble by loading up the box. But he deserves a lot of credit for pushing the drive that led to the tying field goal at the end of the first half. That turned out to be a huge score.”

Agreed 10000%.

“After the first drive, did Georgia’s offense ever hold the ball for three minutes or more on any series the rest of the way?”

Certainly could’ve contributed to the defense’s troubles. The run defense has to play better next week or we’re in serious trouble.

I’m so tired of hearing crap about Bobo. Our offense is explosive and let’s face it, they picked up the slack in the 2nd half when the D was struggling. I blame the momentum changing on Mitchell’s bad decision on that punt return. We were cruising until that point in the game.

BTW, I love Grantham but I believe he got outcoached in the 2nd half. You have to give credit to UT’s coaching staff. That being said, the Swann blitz was great timing and caused Bray to make a poor decision which resulted in an interception.

Time to move on to next week. Big time environment and we have to step up and play big to win! Go DAWGS!

Yes stop criticizing Bobo. I would like to know when UGA had a more potent offense!!! We can run it or throw it against anyone. So stop criticizing the man making the calls and directing one of the best offenses in the country.

I only remember a handful of passes where TN had close coverage on our receivers all night so passing the ball wasn’t the usual risk, if they give it to you take it. Throw the damn ball, it was open all night and Murray was on target. CMB has to readjust the “traditional” thinking when the game matchups dictate it. In the 2nd and 4th Quarters we owered in the corner and ran into a stacked box.

Ha! How about that? I will do it – if you live down there I will buy you one of Jack’s dogs, too! My father-in-law has a boat down that way he wants us to come visit. Now that me and Mrs. Cosmic Dawg moved back to Athens a few years ago we’re not that far off…

We had a few opportunities to win the game but kept going 3 and out and putting it back on our defense to win the game. The offense was playing so well and the defense was giving up drives. I don’t understand why we didnt want to keep the ball with our offense and not give them the chance to win. That’s what I mean.

It wasn’t intended as an attack on you personally, but rather directed at all of you complaining about Bobo. If you have to have something to bitch about then complain about our defense with 10 starters back from last year that couldn’t stop the run or the pass.

marshall’s speed was astonishing (and as a friend has observed, marshall’s gpa is higher than his 40 time). gurley’s long run was awesome not only because of his speed, but he waited for his blockers, which included rantavious wooten hustling downfield from the interior line. damian swan pulled in that INT like rodman pulling down a rebound. quayvon hicks likes hitting people.

gurley also brain-farted on the kick return. and i think he missed a block that lead to the murray sack and fumble. my man amarlo herrerra was demonstrative in his displeasure with missed assignments on a late urnge td (save for the locker room, please), and assorted defensive goofiness had me banging my head on the floor.

Looks like some parts the game from last season have returned. One is Murray not securing the ball and the other still trying to throw into a tight window with a freshman TB. I would think South Carolina’s defense took note ot those miscues. Fullback play and protection will be required against Spurrier. Special team below average play returned again. I’ll defend Mitchell. He is talented and slowed by an injury, but I’d put him on one side of the ball and leave him. Too much to ask of him to be used like they are currently doing. One thing to close on a receiver, or RB, block and go downfield on a pass route. It is a lot different moving your eyes up to field a punt and glance back down for protection and see where you have a return lane. Would like to see the time Mitchell spends in practice in all 3 phases of the game vs the other players. I fault the coaches for using Mitchell in punt returns.

Maybe I’m partial to the Dooleys and almost attended UT rather than UGA, but I did not see a middle of the field UT team. I was impressed with UT. They lost to Florida, but Florida is a very good team on both sides of the ball. So is Georgia. Tennessee does some damn good things on offense. Their vertical passing game is lethal. I would be very wary of them if they were on my schedule. Tennessee can be a very good team by the end of the season. Derek Dooley has done an outstanding job.

The O line. The run blocking for those freshman back in yesterday’s game was very good. Even Crowell could have busted one. Okay, he could not because after the first tackle he takes himself out. O lineis work in progress but their play yesterday was very good.

Murray throws a pick in Columbia or puts the ball on the ground. Well you can bet South Carolina’s defense will get very juiced. Same on special teams. Can not let turnovers flip the field and give Carolina a short field. They will score. If Georgia puts up 35+ on South Carolina and wins. I move Bama down…somebody has to move if you can put that on Carolina and win.

I posted last night when I was angry. It seems like every year the same problems arise. Richt talked about doing extra work on special teams back in the spring. Then fall camp and now five games into the season and still no kick returner? WTF? If they aren’t going to play Scott-Wesley then put him back there and let him practice fielding kicks all week, and while you are at it teach him the where the 10 yd line is and how to fair catch. The D needs a ton of work on stopping the run to get ready for Lattimore and Murray needs to put BOTH hands on the ball when he is getting sacked. That being said I am about over my snit fit and glad for the victory.

Just re-watched the game and here are a few things that stood out to me.
1) Is Marlon Brown suspended, because I didn’t see him. I can’t see him missing those catches Wooten missed.
2) Bobo almost cost us the game with his conservative play calling in the 4th. Our defense was on the field almost the entire last quarter.
3) I am left wondering if USC is going to be able to neutralize Jarvis the way the Vols did. Was that due to their personel matchup, Jones’s injury,
scheme or all/none of the above? Really would like to hear some input on this.

Marlon played, caught the 2 point conversion, and made some key blocks but I don’t remember him being targeted on other passes. He has been clutch so I can only assume he was covered up.

Agree with your point 2nd point, it kept the game close because we refused to take the passes they were giving us. I think TN’s offensive line was much better than anyone thought, they handled JJ with their tackles alone, no double team. I don’t think SC’s line is that good but their DL is better.

He’s referring to the 4th quarter when we were running into a loaded box and going 3 and out over and over and putting the game back in our exhausted defense’s hands. Our receivers are good enough to get that first down and win the game.

West Virgina scored 800 points this week, I think. Did you see those six incomplete passes?

Some folks expect some sort of crystalline perfection, it seems. Who does this? Who do you want to trade personnel with at this point?

I know you’re saying the criticism was focused on specific things. I’m saying it doesn’t matter because scoring 51 fucking points should be enough to override mistakes. Why did we even have to have the starters in late in the 4th? Case in point: How many complaints are there here about the defense not holding Tennessee to field goals in that second quarter? Isn’t that the same kind of situational critique? Yeah, there’s justified worry about the defense in some posts, but because people recognize offensive playcalls better than defensive ones, they give the defense a pass for its situational mistakes while blasting Bobo for playcalls–even while the offense totally carried the defense nearly the whole frigging day!

It’s mind-boggling to me. You want almost cost the game? How about letting Patterson run for a TD on a broken play? How about Rambo not knowing what to do while the play is starting? How about not forcing Tennessee to punt at all in the fourth quarter and allowing them to drive down the field until Bray screwed up and threw the ball right to Commings or dropped it because of the one time all game we got pressure on him?

Be fair and quit dumping all of the blame on Bobo. It’s way past reasonable at this point.

The offense did awesome, it really did, but I think it’s fair to award them minus 14 points for turnovers. And you’re right, the difference is that we can see the plays the O is calling better than we can see the plays the D is dialing up in response, and so we ought to be a little more balanced in our critique.

However, the D played a kind of *generally* sub-par game – there was no specific issue that I could see needed a lot of fixing – it was just a malaise across the board. It also looked like they were just getting beat on the line – not that they were out of position or mailing it in or whatever. I may be wrong, as you suggest, I am guilty of not zoning in on D’s specific shortcomings.

But mostly we’re only really talking about one facet of the offense – we have a *chronic* problem of going conservative too soon or when we are deep in our own territory. Nobody’s really been jumping on AM for his fumble and interception too much, or getting on Theus for his missed block, etc. Because these are just issues of execution and they overall did great and hung a lot of points on TN and no single player or . The punt-punt-punt and punt-punt-punt you see in the post above re our drives is a *chronic* and fixable problem, though…

I haven’t seen anybody get really mad about Bobo or the O here today, I just think it’s like watching somebody drive their truck into a wall at 3mph over and over again – you just want to walk up and tell them to put it in reverse…

And listen, if AM had thrown another interception deep in our own territory, I’d be howling that we should have given it to one of the freshmen who’d been running all over TN…:)

Is how feast or famine the offense was. I think the defense just got worn out. They weren’t playing very well, but I think that the way the game played out exacerbated things quite a bit.

We had a fairly long TD drive then a pick 6, then a one play TD, then a 2:28 drive, then a 50 second TD drive. At that point, the D has been on the field a decent amount, but other than the pick 6, things have been ok. Then punt and a pair of fumbles (at the 2 and the 18). Ouch. Hard to recover from that when you have been on the field for most of the half. And a fumble that the opposing team gets at the 2 (and only because Aaron tripped the guy) is a TD 99% of the time. Then the D forces a quick 3 and out to start the second half and we score 3 straight TDs. They’re pretty quick, but still we score 3 straight. The defense is left out there for basically the rest of the game.

It’s weird that the game went: TD, pick 6, then 3 TDs then nothing for the rest of the half until the last 40 second. Then the second half starts with 3 quick TDs then nothing for the rest of the game. The offense put up plenty of points and I’m not trying to start a whole tangential argument in the middle of an argument, but that is just weird. The offense scored a bunch up front and then did nothing for the rest of the half in both halves. Wild.

“General malaise”
We didn’t blitz anyone at all until the last drive of the game when we finally got some pressure on Bray. The rest of the time we tried ti rush four on six and never adjusted to the fact that their OL was stopping us from getting any pressure.

We kept the safeties back so far–I agree with not bringing them in the box, but they were 20 yards deep the whole game–that was impossible to really help stuff the run. This was a Willie Martinez version of the 3-4 if ever I saw one; we essentially played a cover 2 the whole game.

Not only that, but if Bobo did pass while backed up and gave an easy pick-six, these self-same gurus would be calling for his head along with the sane people. I’m glad Bobo doesn’t read this short shrift crap of fairy tales and maybes . We would lose all our games and they would disavow making dumbass plans.

1) Marlon caught the 2 pt conversion and had an end-around run for 8 yards (I think). Wish he had played more.

2) Yep.

3) Jarvis said they often had the tackle plus a TE and/or RB on him. So 2-3 guys on him. I also saw Jarvis get held over and over last night. Tackles are apparently allowed to hold him with absolute impunity now. Jordan Jenkins and John Jenkins were the only other players consistently getting pressure when we didn’t blitz. Alec Ogletree, Herrera, and Swann got a little pressure too. We just had trouble getting back there fast enough and our corners were having trouble covering well enough to buy them enough time. UT’s OL also played really well. Wish Ju’Wuan James had picked Georgia a few years ago.

I strongly disagree on the 4th Q conservative play-calling. We had the ball 4 times (counting a drive that started in the 3rd.) First drive ended on a 4th and 6 after a penalty. Second drive was one run and two passes. Third drive was 2 runs and one pass, a pass which should have gotten us the first down if Wooten would have been able to haul it in. 3rd drive was 3 straight runs forcing UT to use their timeouts. Anyone who wouldn’t have ran it 3 straight times there (forcing them to use their timeouts) is an idiot. Last “drive” was a kneeldown. What’s conservative about all that?

On the second possession of the fourth quarter, we passed on second and third down, with Murray missing badly on both. I don’t blame Bobo for trying to run the ball the next possession, and, as noted below, the play action pass worked beautifully – Wooten just didn’t make the catch.

I think the bigger problem in the 4th was the defense’s inability to get off the field.

It was a matter of the circumstances of the game, too. Our defense was gashed, and we needed to run some clock. If Murray hits the passes on the second possession, or Wooten catches the third down pass, no one is having this discussion.

I don’t have much to add to the Senator’s and everyone else’s astute commentary, but I will say that the whole timing of the game seemed odd. There seemed to be a commercial or some other break every time the momentum shifted back to us. Never seemed to have a real flow going at any point. It seemed like one of the longest games I have ever attended. At the end I was happy with the win but also happy it was finally over.

I didn’t have as much of a problem with Bobo going into conservative mode coming out of our end zone…though I will say that while I like the alternating series between Marshall and Gurley…I wanted to see Gurley in those situations. I love both guys but to me Gurley is more the power runner that might get you a few yards running into the aforementioned stacked line. That might even have been a time to get Malcolme into the game.

My only real complaint with Richt/Bobo was going into the usual conservative shell in the 4th quarter. With the way the defense was playing(not well) compared to how the offense was looking unstoppable..I’m not sure the patented run twice into a stacked line, incomplete pass on 3rd and long and punt strategy was the best odds wise, though luckily it worked.

I was reading on some of the Vol boards where they were bragging about shutting down Georgia’s O in the fourth quarter. I didn’t bother to reply that anyone who has watched any film on UGA for the last 10 years knows that Richt/Bobo are going to go into a conservative shell with a lead in the 4th quarter. No offense to Sunsieri, but it it a lot easier to stop a team when you know they are going to play vanilla.

I’m not sure whether to give UT’s O-line a hell of a lot of credit or wonder if being able to hold on every play can make any group look good.

Sure hope we get the defense and special teams shored up before next week…one of the things that scared me the most last night was that UT was actually able to run the ball reasonably well…which was supposed to be their weakness…and they don’t have a Lattimore on their team..

All of you complaining about “conservative” mode are being ridiculous. We had already had a Pick-6 off of a tipped ball, a fumble on a QB sack and a fumble on a play where the defensive player got to the QB/RB exchange while it was in progress. We had already let them back in the game through turnovers and good field position. Punting to flip the field and playing defense in that instance is good sound football. Unfortunately our Punter and Defense didn’t hold up their end of the bargain.

That was kind of my point…I don’t mind the conservative shell in most games but up until the D finally forced some turnovers in the last few minutes…that seven point lead wasn’t looking too safe. There’s been plenty of games where I’ve had faith that the defense could close out a game…last night I wasn’t so sure. And the turnovers for the most part weren’t caused by playing wild and loose.

My point was that in yesterday’s game, the defense and special teams gave me less confidence to close out the game than another TD or extended drive by the offense did.

I’m far from a Richt or Bobo hater…but you can’t say that when they have a lead even early in the fourth quarter they don’t show pretty obvious tendencies on Offense and make games a bit more of a nail biter and dependent on the defense than they might otherwise.

I am neither hater or constant critic of Bobo, some here are selective readers and go off without loking at the total support people are giving the offense while expressing a point of view about one area where we looked inept. Obviously the defense is the weaker of the two units this year, and that is suprising to all, but that point has been made several times as well. Sometimes people just see one post, or part of a post. The lack of scoring for an entire quarter in a game where UGA had racked up yards in bunches deserves examination. The first and third quarters were outstanding, but as the defense found out in our last two games of 2011, this is a 60 minute game. It was needlessly close at the end and both units fell short in areas, while doing some things well.

Everyone is pleased with the W, but we will not get one next week with the same effort/execution and thus the posts some object to. Best skip over them, or not read the comments following a game, it is much tougher following a loss. That’s when the “fire———“, fools come out in force, not the “I wish we had tried ———” posts.

True. Didn’t we have two more possessions after that one – not counting the kneel – though? Those were also 3 and outs, right? Sucks when we could win the game on a first down or two (when the defense is tired and struggling) and we can’t get them.

Ending the game with the ball in your hands is much less stressful, IMO. Either way, I’m glad the D finally stepped up, got 3 straight turnovers, and finished the game for us. If they weren’t going to show up for most of the game, at least they made some plays when it mattered most.

Before that we had a 3 and out to start the 4th quarter (up 51-37), gave up a TD drive to make it a one score game, 4 plays and a punt, defense gets a pick, THEN the Wooten drop 3-and-out (in the run, run, throw on 3rd and 5+ mold of 3 and outs), defense forces a fumble, 3 and out, defense forces a pick, victory kneel.

That was a scary ending. We had one first down in our last 4 possessions and it was throwing it on first down. Interestingly enough, we threw 2 downfield passes (and one screen) in the entire second half. One was for 13 yards, the other for 38.

Just for the trivia of it, here are the other first down passes from the game (in no real order):
16 yards
10 yards
7 yards
Incomplete
21 yards
INT
21 yards
Incomplete
1 yard (screen to Mitchell)

So Murray was 8/11 for 127 yards and a dumb pick that was tipped at the line. Pretty damn good on first down.

That was pretty much my point. I understand running clock and playing it close to the vest when the defense is playing lights out and there’s 5 or 6 mins left in the game. But it seemed to me that we basically went conservative for the whole 4th quarter…I’m happy for the win and think Bobo is doing well this year. I’m just saying that when the lead was down to 7 and we were going 3 and out series after series, we gave UT three series to try to tie or win it and I wasn’t sure the defense had it in them. In my personal opinion in some games you just have to keep your foot on the gas and last night seemed like one to me…but I’m admittedly just an armchair QB/Coach.

When I saw Herschel the first time,
Eight years old against Texas A&M,
Can you believe that?
September 13, 1980.
My Dad, wearing those big puffy earphones,
Said Munson was screaming and yelling about some Freshman.

My friend, Jarvis brought everyone back for a reason and it’s coming up. I have to agree with several posters that Jarvis is not 100%. Well, neither is Larrimo’. Our O and D practiced all summer on their own and progressed even further than the team that was better than SC last year. Worry all you like, but don’t lose faith in these guys. They have a plan of their own in this game and we don’t have a clue until gametime.

Our O can beat’em, our D can hold’em. They just have to get a fighting ST effort because ole spittoon will put in some sneaky shit in that area.

Our O and D are a year ahead of SC. We have left the talking to the visor. Time to go and shut him up. You don’t get second chances to do that in this league.

Quote Of The Day

“But outside of that, the biggest advantage you can have is have good leadership, have a veteran football team, and when you’ve got that, it doesn’t matter whether you have spring practice or not. When you don’t have that, it’s tougher, when you don’t have leadership and you don’t have the experience at certain positions.”— Kirby Smart, Dawgs247, 3/31/20